NEW YORK — In a major political upset, Zohran Mamdani has secured the Democratic nomination for mayor of New York City, defeating several high-profile rivals, including former Governor Andrew Cuomo. The city’s Board of Elections confirmed the results on Tuesday, with Mamdani earning 56% of the vote in the third round of ranked-choice voting.

Mamdani, a 33-year-old progressive state assemblyman, launched his campaign with little name recognition. His swift rise through the Democratic field reflects growing momentum behind left-wing candidates in traditionally centrist urban areas.

With this win, Mamdani is set to face off against incumbent Mayor Eric Adams in the November general election. Adams, originally elected as a Democrat in 2021, is now running as an independent following a corruption indictment last year—a case that the U.S. Department of Justice later dropped.

In a video posted on X (formerly Twitter), Mamdani highlighted the strength of his campaign by drawing a direct comparison to Adams’ 2021 win.

“We always believed victory would come after multiple rounds of ranked-choice voting,” Mamdani said. “But to receive more first-round votes than Eric Adams did across seven rounds last time? That shocked us.”

Mamdani’s unexpected triumph over Cuomo—who secured 44% in the final round—has sparked mixed reactions within the Democratic Party. His self-description as a democratic socialist has alarmed moderate Democrats, who fear it may give Republicans an opening to paint the party as too extreme heading into the 2026 midterms.

Within hours of the results, former President Donald Trump labeled Mamdani a “100% Communist Lunatic” and warned Republicans would link his candidacy to vulnerable Democrats nationwide. The Republican campaign arm echoed those sentiments, vowing to weaponize Mamdani’s politics in competitive districts.

Still, Mamdani insisted that his message was one of inclusion and rebuilding trust in the Democratic Party. He noted that his campaign gained traction even in traditionally conservative neighborhoods that supported Trump in the 2020 election.

“I want to win people back to the Democratic Party,” he said.

Mamdani has also been outspoken on immigration enforcement, condemning federal raids as fear-mongering tactics. He accused immigration agents of “terrorizing people” and showing little concern for the law.

When asked about Mamdani’s stance, Trump responded harshly: “If he tries to block immigration arrests, we’ll have to arrest him. We don’t need a communist running any American city.”

Although Cuomo has officially conceded, he has not ruled out a potential independent run in the general election.

Mamdani will also face Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, the radio host and founder of the Guardian Angels, and Jim Walden, a lawyer running as an independent.

This election marks the third citywide contest under New York’s ranked-choice voting system, introduced in 2021. The process allows voters to rank up to five candidates, with rounds of elimination continuing until a candidate surpasses the 50% mark.